The Little Red Hen

by Philemon Sturges, Amy Walrod (Illustrations)

The story of the industrious Little Red Hen is not a new one, but when this particular hen spies a can of tomato sauce in her cupboard and decides to make a pizza, the familiar tale takes on a fresh new twist. Kids will love following along as the hen, with no help from her friends the duck, the dog, and the cat, goes through the steps of making a pizza-shopping for supplies, making the dough, and adding the toppings. But despite their initial resistance, the hen's friends come through in the end and help out in a refreshing and surprising way.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Food, Childrens, Storytime, Friendship, Fiction

32 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1999

About the author

Philemon Fowler Sturges III was an architect and author based in Rhode Island. He trained at Princeton University. He wrote children's books from 1995 until his death in 2005.

Reviews

[Betsy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enh....

I love the sweet justice at the end of the traditional Little Red Hen, and I didn't want those lazy animals profiting. Sure, they do the dishes in this book, but still.

Art is great, though!

[Brittaney Ellis]

Text to self connection

I believe that everyone can relate to this story whether it is something you have been through or how your outlook on the situation would be. For me, I have been in a similar situation. As guardian of a pre-teen and a new wife, I've felt unappreciated several of times. Many may say that is just the life of a wife, but NO! I've been in situations where I had to go to the grocery store to get food, come home from work and cook it, make plates, set aside everyone's lunch, and clean the kitchen. I loved being able to do all the above for my family, however, it would have been nice for someone to offer to lend a hand. Once I displayed my feelings and agitation, my family would ask to contribute to my work load, but only every once in a while. Also, like the little red hen in the story, I always feed the family, even if I am the only one working.

[Logan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The hen did everything but... the dishes.

[Jeffery Worrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book was okay but childish. I would recommend it for people under my age.

[SethRoessner · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was ok, at some parts i didn't get it.

[Kyleduke · Rating 1 out of 5]

this book needs to get good

[Chloe Gough · Rating 5 out of 5]

Looking for a book that helps students learn the importance of helping others? Pick up a copy of The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza by Philemon Sturges today! In this story, we follow Little Red Hen’s process of making a pizza. However, as she’s going through the steps of making a pizza, she finds that she needs help. Her friends Cat, Dog, and Duck seem to be too busy each time she needs help, saying “Not I!” when she asks them to do something. This story can be used to teach students the value of helping others in need, so pick up a copy at your local bookstore today and help your students become helpful citizens!

[Caroline Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

o Summary: The little red hen is wanting to make a pizza. She asks several of her neighbors and friends if they will help her make it. Every time she needed an ingredient to add to the pizza she asked the duck, the dog, and the cat. Every time she asked for something, they all said no. Whenever her pizza was finally done, she asked them if they would help her eat it and of course they all said yes. At the end she asked them if they will help her clean up and they say yes to that as well.
o Grade level: 2nd
o Appropriate classroom use story time
o Individual students who might benefit from reading anyone can learn from the lesson that it is important to help others around you even if it does not benefit you just like the dog, duck, and cat should have done before the hen asked if they wanted to eat the pizza.
o Small group use: silent reading
o Whole class use: Kids could put on a play. One child would be the hen. Another could be the dog and so on. There could also be a narrator.
o Related books in genre/subject or content area: On goodreads there were other books about pizza that popped up but that is about it.
o Multimedia connections available: there are online stories and videos available

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza written by Philemon Sturges and illustrated by Amy Walrod won the 1999 Golden Kite Award for picture book illustrations. This updated version of The Little Red Hen offers bold and creative illustrations that capture children’s attention.
Walrod includes playful details in her illustrations such as a Do It Yourself Guide to Sink Installation and Other Things for Hen and Moo-Laa dollar bills with a cow where a president is typically found. These whimsical images create an enjoyable reading experience for children. In the end, Hen finds herself with an enormous pizza that she made completely by herself. Hen decides to share her feast and because of her generosity, the duck, dog and cat clean-up. The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza is a light-hearted version of the original story.

[Yashpreet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book about a hen who sets out to make a pizza. During each stage of making the pizza she asks her friends to help, which they decline, until she asks them to share the food with her. Which of course they accept. At the end of the story The Little Red Hen says if they help clean up she will share her pizza with them.

I believe this book is very educational for children. it relates to the topic of healthy eating which is important in the EYFS. It explains how to make a pizza which children can then make in school if they wish and it enables children to sequence how they made it. Furthermore it relates to an issue they can relate to: sharing and team work.

The repetitive language in the store allows the children to join in making it more interactive and enjoyable for the children.

[Ashley Lester]

Text to Text

I love this version of The Little Red Hen written by Philemon Sturges. I read this book to my students and I think since they all love pizza that this is what really caught their attention. The pictures are nice. However, the text connection is very similar to the older version of The Little Red Hen. Just as the hen in the older version is making bread, this hen is making a pizza. This book is also a fairy tale that uses animals as speaking characters just as the other version. I also like how both books teach a lesson about being helpful. Great read.

[Torrie Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book can be used to teach children about friendships. I love how the hen forgave her friends that did not want to help her make the pizza but still let them have some of it. This book can also be used to introduce more rich vocabulary to students.

[Jermeria Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would use this book as a way to teach children about helping one another and being a friend. This book would be read in the beginning of the school year.

[John Yelverton · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is an updated version of "The Little Red Hen" in which in this story, she's attempting to make a pizza, with the same amount of help from the other animals.

[Robert Solar]

This is the book is about a little red hen and her adventures on making a pizza. She had gotten up from a nap and was hungry. She wanted to make a pizza. as she was looking through her cabinets for a pizza pan she realized that she did not have any pans to she called out the window and asked for a pan but the other characters in the book (duck, cat, and dog) had no pans or any interest in helping. So the hen went to the store to get a pan and some other stuff. Later as the story goes on the Hen needed other things like cheese and flour and would ask the others for help but none of them wanted to. finally the time came to make the pizza and when she was making it the other animals still didn't want to help. Finally when the Hen had finished the pizza and wanted to share because it was to big for her she asked the other animals and they finally said yes and they even helped her clean up in the end after enjoying a perfect pizza together.

This is a fun book because the pictures look like different pieces of paper put together and and made into the pictures.
I think this was a good book and would be fun for like a pizza party friday or something that would be like a reward for something they do good

[Tara Schloetter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a spinoff story of the little red hen who bakes bread, where nobody helps yet everybody wants some bread once it is baked. In this book, the little red hen decides to make a pizza and asks the dog, the cat, and the duck for help with some tasks, including finding a pizza pan, flour, mozzarella, pizza dough, and the topping. All the other animals refuse to help each time, yet when the little red hen kindly asks if they wanted any pizza, they all say yes. The ending of the book threw me off when it said, “Then she asked, ‘Who will help me do the dishes?’ Now can you guess what the duck, the dog, and the cat each said? They each said, ‘I will.’ ‘I will.’ ‘I will.’” I thought this was a cute ending, and showed that the animals were grateful to the little red hen for the pizza. This book uses repetition, with the little red hen realizing she doesn’t have something, asking her friends, her friends saying no, and then she goes to the store to get whatever she is missing. This repetition creates an easy storyline for many ages of children to follow, and the collage illustrations are fun and silly to look at.

[Sydnee Gann · Rating 3 out of 5]

After finishing off her bread, the Little Red Hen decides she wants to make a pizza. After consistently turning to her friends for support and help running errands, the Little Red Hen receives none and decides to carry on solo. The Little Red Hen puts a lot of hard work into the pizza, turning to her friends for help eating all of it. Can you guess what they said?

I thought this book was very cute and could be put to practical use in a classroom.

Initially, I thought this book would be one I could use when discussing the task of everyone in group work (to contribute). After reading this book all of the way through, though, I think it would be a great addition to a lesson on expository writing (how to make a pizza).

[Miss Pippi the Librarian · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Little Red Hen is hungry, so she decides to make a pizza. She continually asks for help from her neighbors (cat, dog, duck), but they are not helpful. She goes to the store a lot for all her needs and then some! When she pulls the giant pizza out of her oven, she needs help eating it. Cat, Dog, and Duck come to eat and they help with the dishes at the end. It's a very wordy book, but a classic tale with a new twist. While sharing the book with preschoolers, I cut out some of the dialogue and text.

2017 storytime theme: pizza

Reviewed from a library copy.

[Kalynne]

Date: 02.10.25
Attendees: 46
Theme: Pizza
Introduction and announcements: Well Hello Everybody

Book one: The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza by Philemon Sturges

Song/rhyme/game one: Baking Pizza (Shortin’ Bread) with Scarves

Book two: Secret Pizza Party by Adam Rubin

Song/rhyme/game two: Walk and You Walk and You Walk and You Stop by Rainbow Songs

Book three: A Pizza with Everything On It by Kyle Scheele

Song/ rhyme/ game three: There Was a Pizza (There Was a Hole)

Activity: https://storytimekatie.com/wp-content...

[Jaden]

Traditional Literature

This is a retold story about The Little Red Hen. In this story the Hen sees a can of tomato sauce and decides to make pizza. He has to go to the store and buy all the ingredients and nobody wants to help him. When he finally has the pizza done it is HUGE. So he asks the duck, the dog and the cat if they want some and they of course say yes! They eat the pizza and then they help The Little Red Hen with the dishes.

[Matt Henry]

This story is a great read aloud book. This book is targeted to beginning readers. This book is about the Hen asking for help tp make her pizza but no one would. Once the pizza was made she invited the duck, cat, and dog to come eat even though they didn't want t0 help. After they ate it they decided to help and clean up. You can tie this story into class activity such as making a recipe and following it.

[Tasia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would suggest this book for ages 4-8. In this book, Little Red Hen wants to make a pizza, so she asks her friends to help throughout the pizza-making process. Although her friends mostly refuse to help, they end up giving back to the Little Red Hen in an unexpected way. This book has themes of hard work, patience, and friendship.

[Jennifer Steele · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not what I was expecting for the ending. I guess I prefer the old version when the little red hen made the bread and she said something like, nobody wanted to help me get the ingredients, kneed the dough, or bake the bread, so nobody gets to eat it. This book is different, maybe it is showing grace.

[I'mogén · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an adorable story. A colleague read this a few times to the children for one of the activities at work today, before making pizzas and learning about where the ingredients come from. Very nice educational and moral teaching story. The children were familiar with the original story and were engaged with this different version.

Pick it up, give it a go and enjoy! >(^_^)<
Gén

[Savannah Crider · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another one of those books that is a familiar story, but with a twist! The well-known "Little Red Hen" decides to make a pizza in this book. She is wanting help from her friend the duck, the dog, and the cat, but it isn't until the end of the book that they try and help her. This would be a good individual reading time book for 2nd-3rd graders.

[Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know some people will say the other characters' laziness paid off because they got to eat the pizza and all they had to do was the dishes. However they never asked for the pizza. The hen asked them if they wanted some so it was on the hen. I do appreciate though that when the hen asked them to do the dishes they did so willingly and had fun doing it.

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Your typical story about how the little hen does all the work and no one will help her. However, when her pizza is nice and cooked they come running. Nothing new to see here if you are aware of the story line.

[Tessa Duncan · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the Little Red Hen wants to make a pizza, she must go to the store. None of her friends want to go with her to the store of course. When the Little Red Hen starts to make the pizza, none of her friends want to help. But when it's time to eat, all of her friends get hungry.

[SaraKat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute book. I loved the illustrations the most. The book was on my school's pillars of character reading list for citizenship since the animals all have to learn to help each other and do their part. This hen really needs to make a list before going shopping. :)

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful twist on the traditional little red hen story. This little red hen decides to make a pizza, and the dog, cat, duck do nothing to help, of course. Then the hen discovers the pizza is far too big for just her. Cute ending.